Holder for tooth-brushes.



J. P. EUSTIS.

HOLDER FOR TOOTH BRUSHES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 19M.

- 1,283,403. Patented Oct. 29, 1918.

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JOHN P. EUSTIS, OF NEWTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO J. P. EUSTIS MFG. COM- PANY, 0F CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

HOLDER FOR TOOTH-BRUSHES.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1', JOHN P. EUs'rIs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newton, Massachusetts,. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hold ers for Tooth-Brushes, of which the following is a clear, full, and exact description.

This invention relates to holders for tootl1 brushes, more particularly to sterilizing holders; that is to say, aholder which con-[ tains 'a sterilizing agent into which the bristle portion of a tooth-brush maybe dipped anda ventilatingchamber in'which' the bristle portion of the brush may be held above the sterilizing agent, so that it may One of the objects of the present invention is to provide such a holder with means whereby the holder may be supported either directly on a wall or the wall support can be removed and the holder supported directly on a table or shelf. Another object of the invention is to provide a holder comprising three main parts; namely, a sterilizing chamber, a ventilating chamber and a supporting bracket, which may be rigidly combined for attachment to the wall of a bathroom, for instance. A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for grasping and holding the handle of a brush, such as a tooth-brush, so as to support the said brush. Other objects are to provide an economicaL-practical and 'efiicient tooth-brush holder and sterilizer Whichis sanitary and the parts of which can be readily detached so that the holder can be cleansed.

These present invention, the same consists of certain features of construction and combinations of parts to be hereinafter described and then pointed out in the claimsfa desirable construction of which device is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the im:

proved toothbrush holder and sterilizer;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central section thereof;

Fig. this a perspective view of the proferred form of supportingbracket Fig. 4 an enlarged end view looking down upon the holder, the. supporting bracket being omittedg being among, the objects of the h Specification of Letters Patent. Patented U813. 29, T8318. Application fi1ec1 J'une 29, 1917. Serial No. 177,728.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged transverse section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; showing a squeezer;

Fig. 6 is a detail view, in section on the line 66 Fig. 2, to show how certain parts abut;and

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail section with the supporting bracket removed and showing the sterilizing container and ventilating chamber directly secured together. in the drawings, the device is shown as provided with a bracket 10 which is provided with an upturned lug 11, suitably perforated so that said bracket,-with the holder supported thereby, can be attacheddirectly to a wall. Said bracket is provided with ahorizontal collar 12 in the nature of a dished ring, resembling generally the frustum of a cone. Said collar will be referred to later more specifically, as it is especially designed for supporting the holder.

There is supported by and below the bracket 10, a container 13 for the sterilizing fluid, and said container is preferably composed of a glass bottle, and it is obvious that the said bottle may be long enough to contain the entire bristle portion of a toothbrush when introduced therein; or said bottle or other container may be comparatively shallovvso that the tip end only of a tooth-brush may be dipped into the sterilizing fluid. The'neck 141 of the glass bottle or other container is provided with a screw thread 15, and the opening formed by the upper contracted edge of the collar 12 is of such size and is arranged onsuch a pitch or spiral curve that the eXteriorly. screwthreaded neck of the container 13 can be screwed into the collar 12.

-The tooth-brush holder and sterilizer also comprehends a ventilating chamber 16 located above the container 13. Preferably saidventilating chamber comprises a metallic tubular shell 17 having ample lateral openings 18 formed by cutting out the metal and a top opening 18. Said shell can be of any suitable ornamental design and preferably :to that end the outward cylindrical wall is made gridiform as shown, thereby there is a perforated, cylindrical lining 19,

which may be composed of reticulated material such as wire gauze of comparatively small mesh. Preferably this gauze is made of nickel silver and the metal shell is preferably made of nickel silver, so that a fine finish may be obtained thereon and particularly on the flat bar like elements thereof, and the greatest possible salubrity secured. Said gauze lining 19 is held in position in the metallic shell 17 by being expanded and lock seamed into the shell 17. Said gauze lining extends down to an inner annular bead 22 formed on the lower end of the shell 17. In this way the metallic shell and its contained wire gauze lining 19 constitute one member of the device shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the container or closure base 13 a sec.- ond member, and the bracket member a third member.

The lower end of the metallic shell 17 is provided with a screw-thread 23, and said end is of such size and the said thread of such pitch that said screw-threaded end can be screwed onto the screw-threaded neck of the container 13. Inasmuch as the upper edge of the collar 12 of bracket 10 is formed on a screw-thread pitch, thus forming a segmental screw-thread, it will have a high point at 24, and it will be seen that when the bracket 10 is screwed down upon the con tainer 13 and the ventilating chamber 16 is screwed down as far as possible, the lower edge of the metal shell 17 will be brought to a stop against the high point 24lof the bracket collar 12. In this way the three main members referred to, will be firmly united. A segmental screw-thread as referred to is one in which the terminal points or ends of the thread do not overlap.

V'Vhen the three members referred to are screwed together as in the construction shown, it is obvious that the three engaging screw-threads thereof are disposed so that the interior one on the base 13 is sufficiently continued or extended beyond the exterior one of the three upon the ventilating chamber 16 to receive and support the screwthreaded bracket or member 10. i

In use the device may be attached to a wall by means ofthe bracket 10. A tooth-brush 25 may now be sterilized in the sterilizing fluid contained in the container 13, which is done by introducing the bristle end of the brush through the open upper end of the ventilating chamber 16 and pressing the tooth-brush down so as to dip the bristle portion thereof into the sterilizing fluid. The brush may now be elevated and sustained in elevated position in any suitable manner, so that the bristle portion of the brush will be located inthe ventilating chamber, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

If the lower part 13 is a mere base for the device, it is obvious that the brush or other article may be dipped into or washed in the desired fluid and then be pushed through the gap between the closure lips which will hold it in position for airing. Preferably the upper end of the ventilating chamber 16 is substantially closed, as by means of non-matching, slitted, rubber disks 26, 27, the outer edges of which are confined between the top ring 20 and the open upper end of the shell 17, said ring being secured by screws 21 to said shell. The slits in the rubber disks are such as to provide flexible lips 28 which are free from each other at the centers of the disks, and the lips of one disk overlap thelips ofthe other disk so that they do not match. In this way a substantially complete closure is provided for the upper end of the ventilating chamber which, at the same time, provides a series of flexible gripping portions, adapted to permit the bristle end of the brush to be pushed into the ventilating chamber, while said lips engage the handle of the brush and support the same where desired.

Preferably, also, there is provided at the lower end of the ventilating chamber a radially slitted rubber disk 29 which is seated against a metal washer 29, in turn seated upon the bead 22. The slitting of the disk 29 provides inwardly extending, flexible lips 30 which form a squeezer adapted to squeeze out superfluous sterilizing fluid from the bristle portion of the brush as the brush is raised into the ventilating chamber. Said rubber disk 29 also provides a soft packing between the container 13, for protecting the latter against leakage if it be of glass, and the lower end of the shell 17.

F 7 shows the container 13 and the ventilating chamber 16 screwed directly together without the intervention or use-of the supporting bracket 10. In this condition the holder may be placed directly upon a table or shelf. i It is obvious that the invention is susceptible of modification, as parts may be omitted, added and substituted without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as expressed in the claims. I

What I'claim as new is y 1. In a device of the character described, the combination of two chambers, one for liquid and the other a ventilating chamber. said chambers having screw-threads where; by they are threaded'together, the interior the combination of two chambers, one for liquid and the other a ventilatingchamber,

said chambers having screw threads. where by they are threaded together, the interior one of said threads being extended outwardly beyond the length of the exterior thread, and supporting means having a dished collar with an inner edge formed with a screw-thread pitch so as to provide a segmental screw-thread, to engage the extension of said interior thread.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of two members having mutually engaged screw-threads, the interior one of said threads being extended outwardly beyond the length of the exterior thread, and supporting means for said members, comprising a collar, a portion of which has a screw-thread pitch and is engaged with the extension of said interior thread.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fluid container and a ventilating chamber, together with a squeezer located intermediately of said chambers.

5. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a chamber for a steriliz ing agent and having an exteriorly screwthreaded upper neck, an upper ventilating chamber having an internally screw-threaded lower end, the thread of said neck extending downwardly beyond the other said thread and a bracket having a collar, said collar having a segmental screw-threadedge for engaging the extension of said screw-thread of said neck, said collar being adapted to constitute an abutment for said end of said upper chamber when screwed onto said neck.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base portion, supporting means for removably securing an object, said base portion and supporting means having one of them a neck and the other an open end complementary to and for receiving said neck, and whereby they are removably secured together, said neck fitting in said open end so as to have a portion of its length lo cated between said base portion and said end, and a bracket comprising an upright plate and a collar fitted onsaid portion ofsaid,

neck, and removable therefrom when said base portion and supporting means are separated, said collar being secured firmly between said base portion and supporting means, when the two are connected together.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a ventilated chamber having a top opening, a closure base for the bottom of said chamber, flexible lips normally closing said opening and an internal ring secured to said chamber, said lips being held between said ring and chamber and constituting means for automatically grasp-- inganyarticleand holding it suspended in said chamber for airing it. y

8. In a device of the character described, the" combination of a ventilated chamber having a top opening, a closure base for the bottom of said chamber, said chamber and closure base having mutually engaging screw threads, the interior one of said threads extending outwardly beyond the length of the exterior thread, means normally closing said opening, for automatically grasping an article and holding it suspended in said chamber for airing it, and supporting means for said chamber and base comprising a collar, a portion of which collar is threaded and engaged with the extension of said interior thread.

9.'In a device of the class described, the combination of a body provided with an opening, and two adjacent closely arranged series of flexible lips normally closing said opening, the lips of each series being out'of match with those of the other series and constituting means for automatically grasping an article to hold it supported on said body.

10. In a device of the class described, the combination of a base portion, a ventilating chamber having supporting means for sustaining an object within said chamber, screw means detachably connecting said ventilating chamber with said base portion, and a bracket comprising a screw-collar which is screwed onto said screw means and thereby adapted to form a support for said base portion and chamber.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base member, a top member, one of said members having a neck, supporting means having a collar in which said neck is received, and means for detachably connecting said members through the medium of said neck, and for forcing said collar in contact with said members, said collar and said detachable means having the same approximate diameters at their connecting surfaces whereby said collar is firmly attached by the conjoint action of said base member and top member which engage with it. 1 V

12. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base member provided with a neck, supporting means having a collar in which said neck snugly fits, and a top member having a detachable connection with said neck, and the connecting surfaces of said collar, neck and top member having the same approximate diameter whereby said collar is firmly attached by the conjoint action of said base member and top member which engage with it.

13. In a device of the character described, the combination of a base member provided with a neck, supporting means having a 001- Signed at Cambridge, Mass, this 27th day lar in which said neck snugly fits, and a 1101- of June, 1917. low sheet metal top member having a screwthreaded connection with said neck, whereby E when said top member is screwed heme Witnesses: against said collar, the said collar is firmly T. M. K EFE, engaged by and between said two members. F. A. Conn.

Copies of thid paten'b may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing theWGommissionerot Patents,

Washingten, 11G." T 

